Zuiderdam Viking Adventure, Akureyri, Iceland, Part 1 of 2...

This is our first of three ports in Iceland. Going to a busy the next few days! I was out earlier than planned, three hours before our arrival time as we sailed along the Eyjafjordur fjord. This is the longest fjord in Iceland, 60 km or 37 miles, that all ships have to go through on the way to Akureyri. The journey up the fjord is beyond scenic with the mountains and countless waterfalls and whales from time to time... North Iceland’s natural marvels are spread around a vast unpopulated area.  The largest town is Akureyri, home to just 18,000 people. On all of our previous visits to Akureyri, we have rented a car and toured the natural highlights around the general area, Godafoss Waterfalls, Dettifoss or Lake Myvatn…so today we decided to explore the town. Not long after arrival we walked to the center of Akureyri passing the Hof, a circular building housing the performance and exhibition center. We wandered through the oldest part of Akureyri, with its colorful buildings…it is charming, with a real Scandinavian feel. Loved the fact that flowers seemed to be everywhere...The Traffic Light is a unique feature…Instead of the regular round shape, these lights are heart shaped. Next, we went to the Akureyri Church, the iconic steps to the church were closed for renovations so we climbed up a side street and visited the church. Returning to the ship through town we stopped at the bakery for a coffee break and pastries... This is a lovely town in an incredible setting with the views of the fjord and mountains in the backdrop…we thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Akureyri and avoided the predicted rains.